Gov’t gives green light for retrieval of state assets

Government has set up a special task force with a mandate to locate and retrieve all state assets which are in the hands of individuals, including former government officials.

A statement signed and issued by the Chief of Staff, Akosua Frema Osei-Opare, said the presidency is informed of various state assets, including landed properties and vehicles, which are yet to be handed over to the government.

That, the statement explained, is in contravention of law, hence the setting up of the taskforce to “coordinate the location and retrieval of all such assets in the national interests”

The task force is composed of officials from the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Revenue Authority (Customs Division), the Bureau of National Investigations, the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority and the Office of the President.

Some members of the New Patriotic Party have since the election of Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo as the president in the December 7 general elections, been seizing some state properties which were in the hands of appointees of and officials under the John Mahama-led government.

Earlier this week, a group of security personnel went to the residence of NDC National Organizer, Kofi Adams, in a bid to retrieve vehicles suspected to belong to the state. A similar action was taken at the residence of a presidential staffer, Afriyie Ankrah.

The action, especially the manner with which they were carried by the said security personnel, have been condemned by some critics.

But the statement issued Friday said “Persons with state properties unlawfully in their possession should endeavour to contact the task force and make arrangements to surrender same with immediate effect,” the statement said.

It also encouraged the public to volunteer information on properties “believed” to belong to the state to the task force.